thoughts on the past year

*Paul Revierre style* The new year is coming...the new year is coming!

I think it's fair to say that 2011 was a good year. As expected I can only base that statement on my own personal achievements and the achievements of others that I've had the opportunity to share in. I think in a nutshell the top 5 things (in no particular order) for 2011 for me would be:

1. Graduating university with my Bachelors in Child and Adolescent Development and a minor in Early Childhood Education.

2. Being crowned Miss Jamaica Global 2011 and having the opportunity to meet amazing girls from around the world.

3. Working in media with the HYPE Tv team and the TEENage Observer team. Both experiences have taught me some of the many particulars of television and print media production that I know will help me in the future.

4. Kickstarting projects with the Danny Williams School for the Deaf....charity and advocacy are really two of the things that keep me going.

5. The many memories and unending support I've received over the course of the year from family, friends and fans who believe in me and I in them.

But 2011 wasn't all smiles, and I know that a number of my friends and associates suffered the loss of loved ones this year. While I was fortunate enough to not lose anyone close to me, there were a few scares and I am extremely grateful for the blessings of recovery and life overall.

Going into 2012 I can only hope for the best! Interestingly unlike past years, I'm at a point now where there is no great anticipated event for the new year so I'm pretty much an open book with blank pages going in to 2012.....and to be honest, I think I'm actually ok with that now. =]

Happy New Year loves!

these angry lil birds!

Here I am jotting down 2012 plans and I start to get a little bored. To solve the problem I open up my browser and decide to play angry birds.

So level after level I'm there winning like a pro.....then there's this level I just can't pass. Of course though, Mommy taught me determination so I'm there trying and trying again, with the hope of course that one of my various methods will eventually work.

FAIL!

After a while, as nature would have it I actually began to get annoyed at the game. I think maybe the better word would be frustrated....but not at the game....more at the fact that things weren't working my way!

It moved me to write down another resolution/plan for 2012, this one geared at the whole idea of not getting frustrated with myself because things don't work out the way I want them to.

I'm still here kinda giggling to myself about the whole idea of me getting so annoyed at a game....but I'm glad it sparked the thought it did. =]

On another note.....I STILL CAN'T PASS THE LEVEL -_- lol

in the spirit of elections

I remember a few months ago when I was looking for a video on Youtube to analyze for my Language Development course.

We were to find videos of children at various stages and compare their development to theory and all that jazz. During my search I came upon a few videos that had me totally cracking up. (sadly I couldn't use either of these as they were too short)

Anywho, both videos show 'baby politicians' and to be honest they so cute I haven't paid much attention to what they're saying.

I won't try and decide which baby is like which politician....because that's not what this post is about (for all those who think they need to share that thought).

On a serious note though, I hope that everyone who is going to voice their opinion through a vote will be voting based on issues and not based on personalities, by the plans and policies of current candidates and not by those of retired/deceased politicians. Most of all, I hope that persons vote for Jamaica and what is best for us looking towards the future, instead of holding on to issues, plans and expectations of the past.

I pray that we'll have a free and fair election that is violence free and I'm sure that many other Jamaicans here at home and throughout the diaspora have the same prayer. I hope that during the voting period and for the rest of our election period persons will not be preyed upon because of their political preferences/decision.

Like everybody else, I'll be waiting for the final ballot to be counted and the decision to be made public.

Praying for the best.

just when I thought it was Monday

This always happens to me after a long weekend. During the long weekend it feels like everyday is Sunday, so when the working days begin again....I automatically think it's Monday.

After a couple returned phone calls and emails, I have that revelation that it isn't Monday but instead....Wednesday. It was extremely funny in a phone conversation I just had:

Me: I'll need a few days to compile all the new info, so I should be back in touch with you by Thursday.
Lady: Thursday? Something tells me that like me, you keep thinking today is Monday
Me: *silence as I scan the calendar* Oh geez.
Lady: If you want you can send me any updates this weekend and call me on Monday.
Me: No remember Monday is a holiday too. 
Lady: Oh yes. Guess I won't hear from you until Tuesday then

In other words...half of the week has already passed and there are only three working days left to sort out anything before another long weekend.

This may not seem like a concern for most of you....but when you have need for a sponsorship response ASAP...every day counts!

Hopefully some things get sorted out quickly so I can have everything in order by Friday and be able to send off my stuff early for a hopefully positive response.

On another note, feel free to contact me if you or a company you know is willing to sponsor a charity event.

Back to business!

my Christmas wish to you

It's coming down to the last few hours before Christmas and many persons are buzzing about trying to get the final touches on their decorating, organizing all the plans for Christmas dinner tomorrow and of course doing all the last minute shopping.

I hope that regardless of all the excitement, persons still remember the reason for the season and take some time out to give thanks for the year that has passed and the year of many opportunities ahead.

I know some persons may not be home for the holidays for various reasons, and there are those who are having a blue Christmas because of the challenging year that passed or past experiences. I specially send you my holiday wishes of joy and hope, praying that in time things get better.

All in all, Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Happy Kwanzaa/Happy Holidays to all my readers who are celebrating the season. I hope that the love of family and friends surrounds you giving you a lovely end to 2011.

shopping tips

photo credits: www.redzedcookies.com.au

Ok so in my last post I gave you some gift ideas for your last minute shopping. Now I've got some shopping tips to help make your actual shopping trip less hectic and frustrating.

The most important thing to think about when going shopping is how you'll be paying for it all! Organise your finances and decide how much you will be spending on the overall trip and if possible, on each item. Also make note of whether you'll be using cash or card, and be sure to have things organised so money can be kept safe and away from the unwanted muggers.

Another important factor is what you're buying because that will help determine where you're going. You'll need to organise your shopping list and think about the stores you could stop at to get those items. Since you'll have to pay for the transportation to and from the stores (whether it be gas for your personal vehicle or public transportation) it's a good idea to find stores close to each other. Also consider that you'll have to walk from one store to the other with everything you purchase, so for the sake of your back and feet, try to limit the number of stores you have to stop at.

Taking into consideration transportation, you may want to think about how you'll be getting to and from your shopping trip. Remember that you may be starting off with nothing in hand, but by the end of the night you'll have bags lugging around with and depending on the types of gifts purchased it may be a whole lot for you to manage on your own. See if you can carpool with friends or neighbours to reduce the issue of parking spots and of course giving you a safe way to get home with all your merchandise.

With a little organization shopping trips can be much easier. Don't forget to hit the road in comfortable shoes, your shopping list and a plan of action. Another thing you'll surely need to remember is how the gifts will be packaged. On your list keep in mind that you'll need wrapping paper, tape, gift bags, tissue paper, pretty bows and probably even some gift tags.

Hope this helps you get it all done!

all wrapped up: gift ideas

It's now Christmas Eve and I know that quite a number of persons haven't figured out what to buy as gifts for some of their loved ones. For many persons, buying Christmas gifts can be one of the most challenging tasks for the season...and when you really just don't know where to start or have limited funds, then it can be extremely frustrating.

photo credits: www.christmaswow.com

A few readers asked for my help in giving some gift ideas, so here goes. The first thing you need to consider is 'who am I buying this gift for and what kind of person is he/she?' As simple as it may seem, this is often overlooked and in my opinion that's the cause of half your problem. So I've put together some categories for you to think about, and in another post I'll give you some tips on having a successful shopping trip.



Clothing and accessories
I believe the first thing to consider when getting clothing/accessories for anyone is to find out what they already have and what they want/need. Being realistic, it's kinda pointless to buy someone something they already have, when you could have instead gotten something they actually want/need. Try getting them to compile a mini wish-list or do a little Facebook/closet stalking to somewhat see what their wardrobe already has. (lol yes that's a bit creepy....but I guarantee it works).

You also have the options of 'window shopping' with the person and then going back to purchase something they liked; or getting someone with similar taste to accompany you on your quest. With clothing, be sure to take into consideration sizes because it would definitely suck to get something you love but cant fit into it.

Tech savvy stuff

To be honest it usually is hard to buy tech gifts for someone who is totally into that kind of thing. Why? Because usually they already have all the cool gadgets they want...or the one they want is a pretty penny. Gift certificates are a good idea for the tech-lover so that he/she can pick the gadget they want from a store full of fancy gadgets.

Accessories, gift cards and special offers related to the gadget they love is also an option; especially if you go for something personalised. Like clothing, it's good to find out what gadgets the person already has (although you may not understand the specs at all) so you can have at least a place to start.

Sport-a-holic

Sport fanatics are usually very particular with the gifts they want (that's if it's sports related of course). They have a specific team, or star athlete that they believe is best and you can always play on that to get a gift.

A team jersey, sports book/dvd, or some other sports memorabilia is always an option....as long as you ensure that the item is in support of the persons team (would totally suck to get an amazing sport gift but the team/athlete is wrong). Another option is finding out if the person needs any specific sports gear. You could purchase the particular item and get it personalised or find one that has his/her initial on it.

Home and garden

Whether its something cute for inside or outside, a home and garden gift is great for persons who are passionate about gardening, cooking, decorating or home improvement. Personalised gifts and specially organized baskets are great for these persons because usually you need to really tap into their passion to make the gift perfect.

A cookbook with unique recipes, personalised utensils, a special plant or an unusual piece are nice gifts that you can usually find without much trouble. Once again, checking on what the person already has, and what he/she wants is very important in selecting an item.

Kiddies

Because I'm all for educating our youth, I believe that educational toys and books are the best gift options for children of all ages. While a cute outfit may be ok, I think it should be your last option. Usually now, wherever you can get children's toys, you can find a toy or book that is both fun and educational.

No matter the age or gender, there's something available for all kids. I strongly support gifts that help to develop a hobby, improve his/her level of academic performance, get kids active and of course the learning that's totally disguised as fun. If you're in Jamaica you could check out the Learning Zone where they have tonnes of fun educational games for as young as the little babies.

........and if all else fails............

Gift certificates and gift cards are always an option! Most stores offer them and it gives you a chance to contribute while allowing the individual to pick out exactly what they want.

photo credit: www.jdapos.com

There is always the option of getting a nice card and writing something nice and then dropping the money there instead. Special gift baskets are also nice, especially if you aren't quite sure what kind of gift the person would like. With a gift basket you can put a little of this and that, giving you a gift that is well rounded.

Taking the person shopping after Christmas is another option, but it takes away from the surprise of opening a gift on Christmas.

No matter the size of the gift, remember to make it into a special package. Be sure to check out my Christmas wish list! I hope this post lifts a bit of a burden from that shopping list.

about this Facebook timeline

the usual mass response to Facebook changes

Usually Facebook developers springs on a random change that most people just can't stand. Interestingly enough the most recent change - the timeline, seems to be getting more praise than any previous change.

I was surprised to see status' saying praising the change and not telling persons to not accept changes because they suck and so on.

wow Facebook finally made a good change, this timeline thing sick (by the way 'sick' = Jamaican term for 'great/hot')

Personally I think this is one of the biggest changes in a while, and honestly the timeline is really a more interesting concept and it's much cooler than just a plain old profile page. It almost looks like a webpage now and instead of constantly changing profile pics, persons are changing their 'cover photo' which spans the top of your page.

I only wish they would do some fixing with the Facebook messages......I honestly don't want the messages to be archived, I want them to be deleted! (ugh that's a whole other issue though)

I will admit though that there are a few people who have said that the format is a little confusing and that they aren't too fond of the change. We all know that in time (probably three weeks later like in the pic) they'll get to a point where they work with the changes....of Facebook does some kind of upgrade to change things a bit. =/

I'll be changing over to the timeline as soon as I find the perfect cover photo! =]

DIY: sugar cookies

As with most families around the world, there are a number of Christmas traditions in my family, especially as it relates to food.

Usually the holiday isn't complete without baked ham, grilled salmon, Mommy's special macaroni and cheese, Grandma's potato casserole, family recipe sorrel and Christmas cake (both of which I don't like), red/white wine to go with it all, and of course sugar cookies!

Once upon a time I had my superb sugar cookie recipe that was altered to perfection...but then we moved, and when boxes got all mixed up my little recipe seems to have gotten tossed to some unknown location. (it surely sucks that I'm the most organized person in my house)

So, because of that....my tradition of baking sugar cookies continues with a different recipe almost every year (until I alter to my standard of perfection). Usually after the first batch though, the recipe is so 'not to Kim's perfect standard', that I just toss it out completely.

This year my neighbour and I happened to try the same new recipe from allrecipes.com (click here to check the recipe out) and it was nice and easy and the cookies came out pretty good. (of course she baked them first and after sampling her set I accepted that it's a good start).

my 2-inch square sugar cookies

For my cookies, the only thing I added to the recipe was candy sprinkles. Also, instead of rolling the dough into balls and placing them on the cookie sheet, I rolled the dough out to half inch thickness and cut out 2-inch squares. I think this would give me more than the 48 servings stated in the recipe; but since my family was eating the cookies as each tray came out, I'm not even sure how much was done in total!

On another note, besides the fact that it tastes good and was nice and easy, I got a good amount of cookies from the batter and was able to see the nutritional info per serving in the recipe! That my dear friends is just perfect for the folks who want to watch what they eat this Christmas.

I'm definitely going to have to get another batch done before the season is done, but trust me, you should try it!

welcome back

I tend to like the idea of holidays.....even if it's just for the mere fact that close friends and family come home from school/jobs that keep them overseas throughout the year.


So far a few of my close friends are here and my God-sister comes just in time for Christmas.....I may have a light pocket but I know that chilling out at home and simple nights out will do just fine to catch up on everything that's been happening and enjoy the short holiday!

I hope that although the general elections will take place this Christmas, persons will get the chance to spend time with each other and enjoy all the holiday has to offer. I also hope of course that no matter how 'light pocket' you may be, it won't put a damper on the fun you have.

Stay safe this holiday!

the panda speaks

Browsing the web today ans saw this pic.

My initial response was to giggle because it's a bear and he's all cute...but then I really took into consideration the comment there and thought about how true it is.

Racism is an issue that many persons face around the world; and ever so often, the persons who you least expect is the victim. I'm sure many persons wouldn't even believe if I told them I've had issues with racism before.

What's interesting too is that sometimes we make a comment and without intention, it comes off as racist or offensive to a culture/belief.

Whether in jest or seriously lets try and be more careful with what we say and how we act.

Out of many, One people

pretty glitter fingers!

I'm usually very simple when it comes to nail polish colours and designs. As a matter of fact, I rarely go for designs unless I get my nails done with acrylic tips.....and even then I only go for french tips.

Overall I'm not the biggest fan of acrylic anyway because all it does is damage my already thin nails. So, I've been doing my best to give my nails some love and keep them all neat and girly. Problem is, I get tired of seeing them looking the same way for too long, and it's the worst thing ever when the polish starts chipping. My solution is to change my nail colour every week, or to not bother to apply polish at all.

But! I was feeling so darn festive that I kinda got way with myself yesterday. My little sister (who usually only wants something when you have/need it) wanted me to do her nails. As usual, I did the two coats of polish and then noticed the super fine gold glitter on my night stand.

And of course I decided to add a little sparkle to her tips. =D

There were a number of trial and errors because at one point the glitter looked odd with the colour polish; and at other times she just wouldn't keep still!

Anywho, I made a French tip stencil out of a piece of wax paper and pressed it against her dried nail. Using clear polish as my adhesive, I brushed a little onto her tips, and then sprinkled glitter onto the clear polish. Finishing it off, I allowed it to dry and did another layer of clear polish over the entire nail.

The final product: ten pretty glitter fingers! (although she was so impatient and wouldn't wait and have me clean them up)

I know she's like me and will get tired of them in no time, so I figure that in a few days her nails will go back to blah......maybe I'll do this on my own nails for my night out on New Year's Eve!

is there a dancehall hault?

I'm here listening to one of our hot local radio stations and it hits me that there really hasn't been any hot Christmas songs this year. Usually by now we hear a good couple song that makes mention of the festive season and the summer songs kinda get pushed to the back burners.

A few days ago at work we were talking about it, and now that I've actually sat and listened to the radio all night I can fully understand to the issue.

To be honest, in my opinion it was generally a slow year in dancehall music. The diva's didn't seem to go above and beyond (except for the one and two) and the male artistes delivered but some songs were just so ridic. Young artistes came in and few delivered hard hitting content; and as it relates to the young but not amateur - they didn't do too bad.

Overall, it was as if there was a hault in dancehall music.........except for dancehall slangs lol we seem to have seamlessly moved from one to another with new ones coming in as soon as others got stale/annoying.

On another note, bands and live music got a lot more attention this year and a number of reggae/cultural artistes kinda came back into the limelight. As it relates to the business side of things, a number of artistes seem to have benefited from local and international endorsements and excellent performances which of course spreads the music to new markets. Also, the quality of local music videos seemed to have gone way up this year and we saw a lot more in depth concepts and top notch editing!

In other words.....while there seemed to have been a dip in the music...there was a spike in just about everything else. =]

I guess that's just how it is though.....we can't get it all perfect all the time.

goodbye heat!

Once upon a time there was a girl who couldn't bother blowdrying her hair....as a matter of fact, she couldn't bother flat ironing it either.

After getting her hair all clean she looked at those 'heated hair appliances' and decided.....'I shall be ending our relationship for a while!'

To be honest I felt a bit liberated and started thinking about all the time, electricity and frustrating moments that I'll be saving! lol Then I remembered that without those appliances, my hair will be curly all the time.....which means my hair will be more tangled...........

I'm pretty simple when it comes to my hair and I usually prefer to have it in a way that's easy to style. More often than not, that means straightened hair.

Oh well!

I know my hair needs a break from the dryer, flat iron and curling iron. Although they make my hair all silky smooth and easy to manage, they do bring on the split ends and the breaking and depending on how often it's done this could mean more dates with the hairdresser's clippers! (and if you know me you would understand just how emotional cutting my hair can be)

It's hard to imagine that for the next few weeks (maybe even months) I'll be anti-heat, but I think this is a pretty good move for me. I tend to avoid my curly hair because my delicate scalp cannot manage the tangles at all! Usually I rock it all curly for a day or two and then wash it and set it to dry and get it straight.

Hopefully though, this 'anti-heat movement' helps to make me more comfortable with the way my hair is naturally. Depending on how long I keep this up, this may even save me on those heat treatment hair products, and overtime maybe I'll even figure out some fancy trick to better manage my hair in it's natural state. 

For now I'll just leave it here: this is my natural look....so I'll see how long I can keep this up.

no make-up on my face, no heat to my hair (webcam pic)

the skinny about my 'diet'

Just about every time I talk about food, I get one of two statements from persons:

'shouldn't you be on a model/pageant girl diet?'
At that point I usually think about the belief that 'skinny people usually eat a lot'....then I think 'but I'm really not that skinny though..am I?'

'you love food so much! I'd love to know how you stay so skinny'

This one usually makes me giggle....because I do love food, especially desserts! And there really isn't much going around that lol


How the 'diet' thing works

I've decided that I'll be the one to tell persons that there isn't anything known as a 'model/pageant girl diet.' What it is, is a diet........just a diet.....which is pretty much a word used to define the kinds of food you habitually eat. The difference, is that usually the diet that a model/pageant girl is on, is tailored to fit her individual needs.

The second thing I'll share: I don't live on a special fancy diet! Instead there are just foods I eat in abundance, those I eat in moderation, those I rarely eat, and of course the ones I avoid completely. In other words....I eat just like everybody else....just in the proportions that best suit my needs.


The 'Kim-Issa diet'
What's kinda funny is that contrary to what many people think, I've generally had this diet for ages. Long before I considered modelling or pageantry, I maintained a fairly healthy diet for my own health and now having more reason to do it kinda works as motivation. =]

The first thing to note about my diet is that it takes into consideration the fact that I'm allergic to spicy peppers and pineapples....that of course only makes sense (duh kim...why would you eat foods that would make you sick?).

The next thing is that I generally keep the 'bad foods' out! Fast foods, sauces, greasy snacks, salty foods, and all that jazz are at a minimum. For me water is the only drink that matters; and sodas/juices are minimal or non-existent, and usually replaced with cold green tea.

I eat two or three times a day (depending on how hectic my days are) and I tend to snack a lot. Generally though my snacks are granola bars, dry cereal, nuts of some kind, or what I consider 'simple prep foods' like crackers and tuna.

Besides all the healthy stuff, I do eat the not so healthy stuff sometimes and I do indulge in the world of desserts (and then possibly feel guilty depending on how much I indulged). The key trick here though is moderation. There's no need to have dessert with every meal, or even pastry every day. Build up some self control and stick to treating yourself every now and again.

Swimsuit parade for Miss Jamaica Universe '10

So there you have it....my 'diet'. Now in my opinion, no diet is going to be perfect, but you just have to alter your eating habits so it's healthier and better suited to fit the needs of your lifestyle. Also be sure to consider diseases that run in your family and start eating habits that reduce the possibility of you being affected.

Working out makes the healthy diet all the more worth it, so joining a gym or finding some at home fitness plans are always a plus.

All in all loves, watch what you eat and remember that your health is your business!

someone asked for music?!

For some time now my international friends on Facebook & Twitter have been asking me to hook them up with some good dancehall music.

Ironically, although I live here in Jamaica and work for a local entertainment television station I'm not that into dancehall music. I follow it and I know what's new but I cant say I have much new music on my computer because I only get copies of the songs I really like.

Anywho, after about a 6month wait, one of my best friends who goes by the name DJ Keemy finally decided to make a mixtape entitled Culture Shock volume 1.............*at this point the heavens open and marvel at the fact that I finally get a new mixtape from him*.

On the bright side, it was a damn good compilation!

Initially, he sent out the dancehall and hip hop mixes individually but now they've been fused to make one major mixtape. The dancehall part of the mix is kinda short (which I've still got an issue with) he kept it current and high energy from start to finish. So at least you feel all party ready after you hear it. With the hip hop mix it's longer than the dancehall bit and stays true to a hip hop mix with only some R&B and a few hip hop/dancehall fusions.

All in all, for a DJ who isn't 'mainstream' it's a really good compilation, especially since quite a few other DJ's who are mainstream have really lame mixtapes....but that's another post!

I know there are some people now who think I'm just saying it's a good mixtape because the DJ is my friend.....but I beg to differ. Of course you still won't believe that I genuinely think that it's a good mixtape, regardless of the fact that he's my friend. Interestingly enough, you won't be able to agree or disagree unless you download the mixtape....so I think it's best you just download ;)

Now let me warn you loves.....the mixes aren't censored so the lyrical content of some songs isn't for an under 18 crowd. Don't be acting all shocked when you hear certain words.....because I did warn you!

You can download the mixtapes here. I promise it'll help to satisfy the music need loves.

Im outie!

vote for me!

A friend of mine sent me a link to a competition that's happening now on Facebook. At first I was a bit unsure but then I thought 'I've got nothing to lose and there really ain't no reason why I can't/shouldn't enter'....so I did!

It's the Jamaica Yellow Pages - Get Discovered Competition and the winner is selected to be in their next Caribbean photoshoot. This would be a great opportunity for me so get involved and vote for me everyday! lol

All you have to do is go to their Facebook page (and like the page), then scroll through the applicants and when you find me click VOTE. Sadly there's no search bar to just type in my name so you have to actually look for me (I think I'm on the third page or so).

Here's the link!
https://www.facebook.com/JamaicaYellowPages?sk=app_286924894661619

Like I said you can vote once a day and each vote gets me closer to winning! =]

Thanks in advance loves!

childhood memories

Today I had a few hours where I was extremely bored! I honestly felt a bit demented and was wondering how on earth persons sit at home doing nothing everyday!

After a while the boredom motivated me to jump on my bed.....something my Mother detests (so of course she wasn't home). Of course I had to avoid jumping with my hands in the air, because then I would possibly hit the roof and hurt God knows where.

Anywho while jumping up and down I remembered when I was kid and would jump on the bed with my sister and cousins and do all sorts of kicks and stuff in the air. I remember taking the seat cushions from the living room couch and placing them at the foot of the bed so that we could jump off the bed and bounce instead of hitting the floor.

Eventually of course I got tired of jumping today....I mean lets be honest I'm not as young as I used to be! lol When I hit the bed I started thinking about my childhood memories and felt quite comforted as I giggled to myself about some of the silly things that fascinated me.


As a child the simple things in life were very important to me...

- ballet and modern dance
- being a Girl Guide (Brownies is what we were called in prep school)
- my Gigapet.....that was the only thing I had to take care of
- Lisa Frank stickers and all that jazz
- magic milk and cream of wheat porridge with sprinkles (magic milk is a mix of milk and syrup/food colouring by the way)
- those silly glasses (like the one in my pic)
- the candy and random toys found in lootbags
- My Little Pony, Power Rangers, Captain Planet and all those other super amazing cartoons
- my Barbie dolls and all their fancy-dancy stuff
- my Barbie doll cell phone and jeep
- my matching school bag and lunch box!

Then of course there were the great benefits of being a child! Like the fact that certain statements like 'Mommy I'm hungry' or 'Mommy I need .... for school' got responses like 'Ok give me a minute' or 'I'll pick it up for you tomorrow.' Instead, I now hear 'So go get something to eat' (that is of course assuming that she acknowledges my statement at all) or 'Give me the money and I'll get it for you.'

Yea life was simple and there really wasn't anything serious that I had to worry about. Mommy made the decisions to solve every problem that existed and I just enjoyed being a kid.

It's kinda sad that life ain't that simple at age 21....but it's good to know that all those childhood memories made me as super amazing as I am today though!

some ads to put a smile on your face

I kinda just love cutesie advertisements! Over the last few weeks I've noticed even more ads that are just soo cute and funny! So here's a couple of my favourites!

Target's advertising team are just genius

Walmart had a couple good ones

And of course we couldn't forget Allstate's Mayhem!

 
So that's just a few.....maybe I'll post others soon

let's weight this situation

I'm all for healthy living. I'll admit that I really don't like to see when persons condone certain behaviours when they know it's going to be detrimental to their health.....or they begin to see the result of their own actions and make it seem like it's someone else's business.

Anywho, this week I saw a video that was originally posted on YouTube about 3 years ago. It was interesting to see a country's government go to such lengths to force persons to maintain a healthy weight.

Regardless of how you may feel about it, I actually think this isn't a bad idea. This decision is actually one that benefits both the country and the individual. Persons get to live longer healthier lives, and the country gets a healthier population with less hypertension, obesity, heart problems, etc.

On a similar note, yesterday at the office I saw a video done earlier this year about a very tiny country with a very big problem. They have a population of less than 10,000 persons and because of fast food, more than 90% of the adult population is overweight and half of the adult population suffers from type 2 diabetes......THAT'S JUST CRAZY!

Now it's not that I have anything against persons who are fat. I understand that some persons are born that way and I appreciate the idea of us all being unique and different. If you consider the similar thread in both stories you'll notice that the issue here is fast food!

Don't get me wrong....fast food isn't a bad thing.....it's just bad in abundance. Believe it or not it is possible to go into a fast food joint and pick the healthiest options and still enjoy it. 

I'm just telling you like it is. Your health is your business and it's your responsibility to watch your diet, maintain a healthy weight and check in regularly with your doctor to make sure everything's working as it should.

Try a healthy lifestyle instead of putting yourself in a position to be 'at risk.'

DIY: photo frame notice board

A couple nights ago I couldn't sleep and 3am came and met me (what else is new). I sat up watching episodes (that I've seen before) of My Wife & Kids with the volume down hoping that boredom would take over and I'd fall asleep......

That didn't quite work but anyway...In one episode, the son (Junior) who isn't the brightest crayon in the box, did the SAT's and surprisingly came home with superb scores (by the end of the show you found out that he got the wrong results).

While in his 'genius mode' he would scribble all his 'brilliant thoughts' unto his mother's glass door with a marker. That kinda made a light bulb go off in my little brain. I remembered a friend of mine who had scribbles on her bedroom mirror using a dry erase marker.

Now today (while I was cleaning my room) I decided to run a little test and used my dry erase marker to put a smiley face n my mirror. I got a bit of felt and wiped it off (of course just to make sure that my Mom wouldn't go berserk if she saw it on the mirror).

It worked!.....and from there my 3-year-old mind went around the house scribbling on any random bit of glass I felt like lol. After scribbling on a picture frame and giving my sister a randomly placed bow on her head, that's when another light bulb went off.  

And from there.....this DIY project was born *insert cool dramatic music here*

Now it's really easy and all you need is:
- a picture frame
- a dry erase marker
- a picture
- a square of felt
- 12inches of ribbon/string

1. The first thing I did was to use the backing of the frame to size the picture I was going to use.
2. After measuring it up, I cut along the lines to make the picture small enough to fit into the frame
3. I placed the picture into the frame and fixed the backing in place.
4. I need to get a nail in place to hang this on my wall, but for now it can just stand on my night stand and remind me of the things I need not forget.....or the errands Mother dearest wants me to do for her.

Oh....for the eraser, I looped the ribbon through the frame and did a quick stitch to attach it to the felt (that way it never gets lost).

Viola....the picture frame notice board.

just me and my budget

Now this is a serious topic that many persons don't take into consideration.....budgeting

My Mom has always told me that the most important thing for you to do is save! Now that I've started working and all, I've noticed that the second most important thing is to budget your spending!

Although it can act as a sad reminder of how broke you are, a budget helps to control your spending and can save you the embarrassment of swiping a card that has no cash (yup I've seen this happen before) or overspending and then freaking out when you see your bills.

My personal budget is pretty simple too. There are no fancy formulas and from the budget I can see where my money is going and know just how much I have to spend. All I did was open a excel spreadsheet and list all the things I spend on monthly.


In a nutshell my list includes:
- bills
- gas for the car
- savings
- loan payments
- everyday stuff

Each month about 10% of my salary goes to savings, 15% to loan payments, 20% to gas (yes gas prices are not working for my budget at all), 20% to bills and the rest is for my everyday stuff.

I don't have many major expenses more than these, so my budget doesn't go in depth to pick out just how much I spend on food, random night's out and all that. Not like I spend much on that stuff individually anyway...plus living with my parents definitely cuts lots of expenses which to me really isn't a bad thing. =]

Please note though loves that I'm horrible at accounts so I make sure to keep things simple and I include any specific info so that I never miss a payment, I'm sure to get some saving done and all my basic needs are covered. I also make sure to note any additional spending for specific months (like gift shopping for Christmas or a special birthday).

Most people don't have a budget at all.....and the result of that is being totally broke and not having a clue where the money has gone.

By the way...budgeting is an excellent New Year's resolution so get to it!

all I want for Christmas is....

This time of year can be very depressing.....because more often than not, the list of 'I want' is usually much longer than the list of 'I can afford'.

If you're anything like me, all year you try to find ways to save but then the savings never seems to match up the the cost of all the 'I want.' Then to top that off, the older I get is the more I can understand why gifts move from 'buy me something pretty' to 'buy me something I need'. lol

Once upon a time my Grandma would go out and buy some hot new toy or girly thing for my sisters and I....now we each get an envelope with a cute little card and money. Usually inside the card is a nice little Christmas blessing and the words 'you know I would never know what to get you so be sure to treat yourself to something nice' (or at least its something to that effect.)

Then that money from Grandma usually goes into buying the outfit for New Years Eve, something I actually need....or gas for the car.....or some other random thing that comes up.

But this year.........I'm thinking of sending a message to all my gift-givers:

I don't really want gifts, because everything I really want is gonna cost a pretty penny. Instead I'll be taking donations to go towards my Graduate School Fund.....if you are still adamant about buying me a gift I would prefer if you selected from the list below:


- money for my charity projects (my Deaf kids need all the help they can get...plus it's a worthy cause for the season of giving)
- a Kindle/Nook (preferably with a blue or green case)
- a new laptop (preferably one that has all the specs for graphics and entertainment)
- a shopping spree (save yourself from buying clothes I may not like or end up never wearing...instead just let me run wild in the store and you pay for it)
- a car (it need not be too fancy but spare me the gas guzzler)

I think it's a pretty good sum up.......I am also very aware that I may not get these things lol. On a serious note though

It's the thought that counts....and getting me a gift makes me feel special enough =]

DIY: wrapped bead bracelet

I promised DIY projects but because I had not pics I wasn't posting them. (sorry)

Well, now that we've solved that problem! Here's one really simple project I did for less than JA$500 (US$5).

The first thing to note is the fact that I could probably find this here in Ja....but it would probably cost much more than it cost to make it.

Anywho there are only 3 items needed to make this happen. Please note that the colour, size and design of each item is really up to you.

You'll need: 
1 embroidery thread (about 34inches long)*
2 beads (the amount needed will depend on the size of the beads....but I'd advise to not make the beads too large)
3 jewellery fastener (the fastener I selected is very easy to attach)


*to determine the length of the thread I measured the size of my wrist (mine was about 6inches), multiplied it by 5 (totalling 30inches), and added 4inches (remember you'll be knotting the fasteners and needing that extra bit of string.

The project needed only 3 items, and was finished in only 3 steps:


STEP 1 - Knot one side of the fastener onto the thread. I would recommend that you knot about three or four times to make sure it's secure and leave some thread hanging in case you need to loop it again. 


STEP 2 - Start threading the beads onto the side that is attached to the fastener. This may be a tedious task if the beads are small so your patience is surely an asset lol

STEP 3 - When the string or beads is almost full, knot the other side of the faster to the thread. Once again be sure to do it about multiple times to make sure it's secure. Then of course you can cut those extra strings off.

And that's about it. But then of course you're probably wondering how this becomes a bracelet.....simple....wrap it around your wrist!

Remember to check the length of the embroidery thread in relation to the size of your wrist. As I mentioned, mine was long enough to be wrapped about 5 times but depending on the length of string you choose and the size of your beads it may be more or less.

I decided to keep it simple because I have really small wrists and bulky bracelets tend to make me look super skinny. =(

Anywho, it's all up to you and you can make it as unique and complex as you want. =]

with not a care in the world

Today is the first in a long time that I have absolutely nothing planned!

To be honest it's a little weird being at home just watching tv without a care in the world, but I must admit that I kinda like it. Initially I woke up wanting to bake, but then I reminded myself that I'm relaxing today......and so far so good!

The only problem is that I keep thinking of things I need to get done, and I keep writing them down on my t2d (things to do) list....that means I'll have a super long list of stuff to do next week. =/

Oh well! I'm enjoying my lazy day....next week I'll worry about that list.

full house ramen noodle soup

When serious hunger strikes I usually resort to cooking anything I find in the kitchen.

My most recent creation was with the 'ultimate college student meal' - ramen noodles. I'm not the biggest fan of ramen though, because I think that even with the seasoning they give you....it's just tasteless. So usually if I make it I add my own seasoning to it (like garlic and onion powder, parsley and basil).

This time around I really wanted a hearty soup.....so of course I had to find a way to make the basic soup more interesting and find ingredients that would make it more filling than merely noodles and broth.

So I went on a mini hunt around the kitchen hoping to find ingredients that would give the soup some life. After about 5minutes I found:
          - carrots
          -a quarter of roasted chicken
          - flour

At this point the most logical thing to do was to cut up the carrots and the chicken, and to make dumplings (flour, salt, seasoning and water) for the soup....and that's exactly what I did. To try and make the broth taste the same as the chicken I cut the chicken into pieces and boiled it for a while with the other seasoning before putting the noodles and dumplings in. Of course since the dumplings would take a longer time to cook than the two minute noodles I had to put the dumplings in before I added the noodles.

It took about 45minutes max for preparation and to cook the meal (of course I was watching tv in between so I'm not 100% sure of the time.) As it relates to serving size, I was cooking for two and since my sister had already eaten by the time I was done....I ate it in two sittings. Anywho, I call this my full house ramen noodle soup here's the 'recipe'....or as close to a recipe as I could get:

Ingredients:

- 1pack ramen noodles

- quarter of roasted chicken

- 1 carrot

- 1/2 cup flour

- 2 cups water

- pinch of salt

- preferred seasoning (or lame ramen seasoning)

Process:

1. cut up the roasted chicken and place it in a pot with the water and seasoning

2. while allowing pot to come to a boil, make dumplings and place them into pot

3. when water comes to a boil add ramen noodles

4. add more seasoning to taste if necessarily

Kim's full house ramen noodle soup....let's ignore the fact that the bowl is kinda messy

 By the way...yes...I love herbs! lol (hence the hundreds of parsley and basil bits in the soup)

Hope you get yours to taste as delish as mine...

looking a lot like Christmas

In my house it's customary for us to have up Christmas decorations from the weekend after Thanksgiving. This is my Mom's favourite time of year so getting decorations up and making the house look 100% Christmas inspired is just as important to her as studying for exams!

Usually the boxes of this and that are out in the living room from Thanksgiving day, decisions about what we'll put up happens by black Friday and by Sunday evening everything is as it should be....all to Mother dearest's liking of course.

This year my Mom left the island to spend Thanksgiving in the U.S. so things started a bit earlier and ended a bit later (with a few days of nothing happening while she was away of course).

Based on where we live now, decor is strictly inside the house alone, and to be honest based on how precious Mom's decorations are to her, I don't think she has any interest in putting anything outside anyway!

So here's an idea of what we have going on in the living/dining space:
- the Christmas tree
- Mom's miniature town...all placed on a 'sheet of white snow'
- the 'Christmas family' (Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus) 
- the wreath-wrapped staircase carefully adourned with decorations and the 3 stockings which hang below the decorated wreath

All in all it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at home and although there are reasons for me to not be too jolly this season, the decoration help keep spirits up.

Will post pics soon.

yawning...tired...but can't sleep

Over the last few weeks my sleep schedule has had little consistency.


Some nights I'm 100% tired by 6pm like some kid, and more often than not, that's the night I have stuff I need to stay up and get done. Then there are other nights there I'm tired at what I consider acceptable hours.....that's like 10pm.

Then of course there are those dreaded nights when I'm wide awake until the wee hours of morning. Those nights are worse when I need to go to bed early so that I can be awake for an engagement the following day, but I cant seem to go to sleep. On those nights when I'm just up for no reason...but have things to do the following day; my mind seems to just keep going with ideas and thoughts that usually seem like my best ideas yet....until I remember that I need to sleep and need to stop thinking!

Now don't get me wrong, there are some nights that I actually have something constructive doing, but then there are other nights when I'm just up, staring at the TV (watching a show I've seen before) or just laying in bed waiting on the sandman to feel sorry for me and pay a visit.

Sadly, tonight is one of those nights. Nothing to do tonight and no specific engagements tomorrow (except work at 11am). Problem is................I'm super tired but I just can't sleep. =(

Anywho, I just yawned again so I'm gonna try and see where that yawn will take me.....hopefully it's to a night of lovely slumber!

Bedtime (I hope)

watch what you post folks

As much as I use social media everyday, and love the fact that it keeps me in touch with my friends around the world, I think I still find it a bit fascinating how much info is presented and how much info is misinterpreted via the internet.

Everybody has something to say and personal opinion is great....without it blogs like mine would mean absolutely nothing. The problem is, ever so often personal opinion is shut down or misinterpreted. There are other times of course when someone is intentionally trying to shut down someone else.....but that is just another story.

I guess the whole idea is this: you want your opinion to be respected right? Well then it would only be fair that show the same respect to the other persons who you call your 'friends on Facebook.'

The same goes for Twitter. It's140 characters of personal opinion.....regardless of how random and silly it may seem. Half the time you tweet knowing well that nobody really cares about what you've said but that's ok cause all that matters is that you get to say what you want.

The problem starts when you offend someone for their personal opinion....or when your personal opinion offends someone..................

I think most people don't remember that in the same way that you can be offended by what others say, someone else can be offended by what you say.

All in all, while I support the idea of being able to express your own opinion, but be careful about whether or not you offend others.


#JustTryingToBeNice

worldAIDSday - Know your status!

December first is celebrated as World AIDS Day. Each year there is a theme selected and this year the theme is

Getting to Zero - Zero New HIV Infections, Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Related Deaths

This theme is backed by the United Nations 'Getting to Zero' campaign that runs until 2015 and it is expected to be the overall World AIDS Day concept for the next four years. Personally I like the theme, it promotes prevention overall, empathy and equality for those affected, and the promotion of research and assistance to those living with the disease.

Like most other countries around the world, Jamaica's National HIV/STI Programme and a few other organizations have various events planned for the day. Although some events are not open to the general public, the following events are.

World AIDS Day Concert at Devon House: This event goes from 8am to 6pm. There will be free HIV testing, information booths and entertainment.

HIV Testing at Emancipation Park: This is another opportunity to get tested. They will be working from 9am to 4pm and will have various activities targeting the youth.

Candle Light Vigil at the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life: At 6pm a candle light vigil will be held to remember the lives lost to the disease.

It is important for you to know your status for the sake of your own health! You can know where you stand with a quick mouth swab. Because the test is done in private the only persons who know are you and the tester. Testers are trained, aware and are willing to answer all those sex related questions you have but have never been able to ask.

Getting tested is something that should be done annually, and of course because my passion is children, I believe it is important for persons to know their status because an unknown status could result in a child being born with the disease.

The goal of getting to zero is possible. With routine testing, the right information and each of us playing our part, we can minimise or even eliminate the spread of AIDS.

Get tested and get in the know!